


a couple fights & lonely nights Don't make it right to let it go to waste

by Angie_leena



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: Adopted Children, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Domestic, Alternate Universe - Teachers, Childbirth, Drama, Eventual Happy Ending, Family, Family Drama, Family Fluff, Hopeful Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Lazarus Pit, M/M, Magic, Police Uniforms, Suburbia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-25
Updated: 2018-07-23
Packaged: 2019-05-28 10:59:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15047378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angie_leena/pseuds/Angie_leena
Summary: Jason had had plenty of reason to leave. When Roy had died off world and Kori returned to let Jason know that he had wanted Jason to raise 4 year old Lian, Jason had almost jumped a the opportunity. The opportunity to leave and never look back. He had begged Tim to go with him, to be a family with him, away from fighting crime and away from Gotham. Away from everything Tim knew. At 17 Tim had agreed but not without a plan. Jason would go and get set up somewhere, while Tim tied up his loose ends here. He had already been working at WE at the time and he was also still spending time with the Titans. Jason had agreed. Told him he loved him. And left.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story has been in my head for months now and I finally was able to actually sit down and write it out I'm so happy with how its turned out so far and I really hope you guys here like it. I do have another WIP at the moment and I wanted to say that the response I have gotten to "what's in a name" has been unbelievable and the top thing that pushed me to actually write this story so I hope this is just as loved.

“I shouldn't feel this damn old! I'm only 27 for crying out loud!” 

“Your also being super drama queeny”

Tim glared at Stephanie over his coffee.she smiled back at him like she didn't even notice. She noticed. He knew she noticed. She knew he knew she noticed. She smiled even brighter the asshole. 

“I'm serious Steph. WE basically runs itself now and the major players are mostly all in Blackgate or Arkham and I feel like I have nothing to do. How is that possible for me to have nothing to do!?” 

“Well it's not like you actually have anything going for you outside of work. Both works. Both jobs. Whatever, you get me. Point is you've thrown yourself pretty deeply into everything and never took anything of your own. Maybe it's time you do.” Stephanie reached for his hand as she spoke. “Tim,this is going to sound terrible. I know it's going to sound terrible but it needs to be said, please don't end up like Bruce. Don't end up letting bat life be your only life. Don't give everything up just because some bat related crap comes up.” 

Tim scoffed “please Stephanie I do much more than Bruce does. Like I said WE is running like clockwork. I did that,not Bruce and not Lucious-in-lieu-of-Bruce. I have actual friends not associates. I've had actual lovers. I'm not Brucie. I'm not”

Looking over at his friend she didn't look at all phased by his rant. In fact she looked almost sad. 

“No Tim your not Brucie. Brucie is an airheaded playboy devoid of responsibility. Your Timothy. Ruthless businessman. Cold lover. That's what your image is Tim. A man who will do only what's necessary. Nothing more. And how far off is it really Tim hmm? Your relationships don't last. Civilian or cape's. And when they are over it's like nothing ever happened. And red Robin is literally responsible for more than half of the lock ups the last couple of years. That kind of mindless determination looked terrifying a few times there Timmy. The big bat was so proud of you. And I think we both know that's not exactly an endorsement. As for your friends,well why don't you go ahead and tell me when you saw someone who wasn't me,since I have to force you each time anyway. “ 

Tim didn't have anything to say about any of what Stephanie had just said. Just stared at her open mouthed and silent. He knew what she was saying. She was right too. Yes he had relationships. All short lived and uneventful. He had plenty of friends from his time with the Titans but really only spoke to them if they called him. Tam was probably his only friend outside the capes and the current reason he was here with Stephanie in the first place.

“Well thanks for telling me what you really feel instead of letting me bitch about my forced time off.” He bit out. 

“Tam has your best interest at heart boyfriend. Maybe you should consider some time off from Red Robin too?” 

Tim inhaled deeply. “That's not an option and you know it Steph. I have intel on that shipment of stolen artifacts that should be in tonight anyways” Tim was getting a headache and this was not going to help that. Standing up he pulled Stephanie to her feet as well and steered her out the door. “Look I need to run to the office, Tam has some things for me. You should go. Maybe I'll see you tonight.

Stephanie just looked at him and smiled a little less brilliantly than she had earlier. She nodded once and left without another word. 

Really, that wasn't why he had called her over. He had called her because the artifact case he had been working on had pulled up someone she knew from a case a few years back. Zorya was magic user that Steph had mentioned had both zatanna and Jason Blood jumpy when she was around. She was definitely a good guy but ran in darker circles than they had been comfortable with. He had wanted to know more about her before risking going after a shipment she was already on the tail of. It was no matter now. Extra info or not she wasn't getting in his way tonight.

Rubbing his eyes Tim went to get his keys to run to the office real quick. Tam said there were some benefit banquet messages as well as some personal mail for him to pick up.She had offered to have someone bring it over but he jumped at the opportunity to get out of the house. 

Getting there he had the front receptionist let Tam know was heading for his office and got in the elevator. When it got to his floor there she was collecting everything from his PA Amy. 

“ Hello Amy.” He said. “Hello Mr. Drake” she returned with barely a glance at him. He continued on to his office missing the look that Tam gave him as she gathered his mail. 

“ You know she's a very nice girl, it wouldn't kill you to be nicer to her” she said,smiling at him while she laid out his things. “ I have a call so I'll leave you these. Amy's outside if you have any questions” 

Tim rolled his eyes at her “I'm plenty nice to Amy. I just don't want her to get the wrong idea.” 

Tam couldn't stop the laugh that she met that statement with. “Tim,honestly, your such an idiot. First of all she's married, and second, she’s under the impression that your some love em and leave em asshole so she wouldn't be looking at you anyways.” 

Tim could only blink at her while he felt his face heat up in humiliation. 

“Thank you Miss Fox, I'll call you if I need you”he said coldly.

Tam's smile dropped at his tone but he couldn't find it in himself to feel bad. Not after Stephanie, and now Tam and Amy. He just couldn't do it. Turning to face the window he heard Tam close the door behind him and let out a soft breath. At this point he just wanted to get the rest of the day over with. Looking over his messages he prioritized them to take home, trash , or address later. The last one threw him off though. It was a phone number to a bank and the account number. 

He looked at his office door and did not look forward to having to call Amy in. Deciding to just call the number, he pulled out his phone and dialed asking for the Mr Williams on the message.

“Yes Hi, Mr Williams? This is Mr. Drake calling regarding the message you left me?” He rattled off the account number and waited.  
“I'm sorry Mr Drake but I'm not sure how you got my number, but I certainly wasn't the one who called you. The only users on this account are a Jason and Timothy Jackson.” 

Tims stomach bottomed out and he almost fell back into his seat. 

“ O-ok thank you, sorry for your time” he stammered and hung up without waiting for a reply. 

Jason. Jason Jackson. Jason and Timothy Jackson. 

Jesus could he really have been so naive to think there could have ever been a Jason and Timothy? Of course he could have. The proof was sitting right there in front of him with that account number. An account he had set up when he was 17 and stupid enough to think he could leave Gotham and just run away with Jason.

Jason had had plenty of reason to leave. When Roy had died off world and Kori returned to let Jason know that he had wanted Jason to raise 4 year old Lian, Jason had almost jumped a the opportunity. The opportunity to leave and never look back. He had begged Tim to go with him, to be a family with him, away from fighting crime and away from Gotham. Away from everything Tim knew. At 17 Tim had agreed but not without a plan. Jason would go and get set up somewhere, while Tim tied up his loose ends here. He had already been working at WE at the time and he was also still spending time with the Titans. Jason had agreed. Told him he loved him. And left. 

At first they spoke often. Jason letting him know he was set in Virginia. Tim letting him know he quit the Titans and Damian had taken over. Jason telling him Lian had started school. Tim telling him he had set up the account so that they would be set without having to worry. Months went by and things were just never in the right place for Tim to leave. A year after Jason left, a one off comment from Damian about a year free of Hood's incompetence had Tim sitting down and realizing that he hadn't even spoken to him for over a month. He had wanted to go and call him and see if everything was ok but there was so much going on he didn't find the time for another month. He had pulled out the phone they had been using and went through the old voicemails. Daily for the first week, then every other day, then twice a week, once a week. His last one had been two weeks before. It only said that it was ok and that he understood. At the time Tim had been confused, not understanding what Jason meant by that. He went to call him back only to be stopped by the alarm letting him know about a breakout at Arkham. It took a week of all nighters to round everyone up. Another week to recover from a heavy concussion where Alfred kept him locked in his room at the Manor. One more getting caught up at WE. Another month had gone by and Tim hadn't called him back. 

Tim sat in his office thinking about that day nine years ago. He never did call Jason again. Jason was fine without him. He never called him either. In fact the last thing Tim had from Jason was that voicemail letting him know he understood. If he had really wanted Tim he had his regular number he could have gotten a hold of him at. Shaking himself off the past he looked at the message again. It was from today. 

“Amy this message from the bank, was there anymore to it?” 

She didn't answer but was walking into his office with a notepad looking a little nervous. 

“Mr Drake the message isn't from the bank” 

Tim frowned “ Who's it from then?”

Amy sighed “Mr Drake at 315 this afternoon I received a call from a Mr Jackson and He left all the accounts information. He had given me his information as well but at the end of the call requested I only give you the basic account information and said you would know what it was. I take it you would like Mr Jackson's number?” 

Tim kept his face impassive even though he was reeling internally. “ Yes Amy. Next time give me the full message instead of letting others tell you what you would tell me.” He hissed through clenched tell. He would know what it was? Was Jason asking for more money? Why else would Tim need to contact the bank for the account he set up for Jason?

“ Yes Sir” Amy said dropping the original message on his desk and breaking him out of his thoughts. 

Steeling himself even further he dialed the number and waited.

“ This had better be important here I'm setting a terrible example answering my phone in class.” Was the first thing he heard followed by a round of laughter. 

“ Uh Jason? Sorry I didn't realize you were still going to school.” More laughter. 

“ Shit Tim? Uhhh no, no I'm not in school. Well I'm in school now obviously, but I'm teaching. Uh can you hang on a min Tim? Thanks.” 

Before Tim could answer he could hear the phone moving followed by muffled laughter and Jason saying something about a swear jar. Teaching? Jason was teaching? He was a professor somewhere and was teaching and had a swear jar for unruly college kids? Before Tim could really dwell on that Jason was back

“Hey Tim sorry I had to get the kids squared away. Only about 15 mins left in class but they get crazy during the last class of the day especially a Friday ya know. Uhhh your probably calling about my phone call earlier huh? Well it's pretty simple. Small town bank you used back then is shutting down and you need to either give em a new account or go get your cash.” 

Wait what?

“Cash?” Said Tim.

“Yeah. Whatever money you had in that account you set up needs to be moved. I didn't even realize you still had the account open till I got a call.” 

“ You didn't use the money?” Tim asked even more confused than earlier. He heard Jason laugh humorlessly.  
“ Tim that money was supposed to be for us. Not just Lian and I. Wouldn't have been right to use it. Look you have The info for it so you can take care of your money. I gotta get back to these kids before the bell rings. I'm on pick up line duty today.” 

“ Pick up line?” Tim asked confused. What kind of college was Jason at? 

“Yeah high school parents are the worst, really. Bye Tim” 

With that Jason hung up leaving Tim with his mouth open and his phone to to his ear. High school. The red hood taught high school. Somewhere on the west coast obviously if they were still in school. 

Shaking himself Tim grabbed his messages and headed out. He could think about this later if he needed to. Right now he had work to do. He put Jason in a box in the back of his head like he had nine years ago and went to work. He couldn't afford distractions tonight with an unknown more than likely in play and Jason was always a distraction. He couldn't afford Jason not now. Later. If he needed to.

That night found him down by the docks watching some obviously armed men guarding a shipping crate. His Intel told him that's where the goods were but his instincts were saying that something about the whole thing was off. The men looked jumpy even from how far away Tim was. They were standing away from the doors and only keeping a minimal watch on them. Like they knew they needed to be guarding something but didn't want to get too close or acknowledge whatever was in the crate. Frowning at their body language Tim scanned the rest of the yard he could see from his perch but didn't find anyone else incoming.

Taking another look at the guard, Tim settled down to wait. He wasn't sure what alerted him since he hadn't heard anything, but a small shift in the atmosphere let him know he wasn't alone any longer. Keeping his voice even and unaffected he quietly said “you must be Zorya? You do know metas are not allowed in Gotham correct?”

Turning around enough to get a look at the newcomer while still keeping the dock in his peripheral,he was more than a little shocked at what he saw. Everything he heard painted a picture very different from the young girl he was faced with. And Zorya was young. Almost too young to have dealt with Stephanie a few years back. She wore thigh high bubblegum pink and white stockings with polished Mary Jane's, a pink tutu with little black bows on it, and what he could really only call a pink leather corset with a small black leather jacket. Her hair was short, blonde, and pulled back from her face with a thin white headband with a small lace flower on one side. 

“Yes Timothy Drake, I am aware of the situation. I also know you are aware that something of mine is down below and I will be retrieving it this night.”

He kept his face carefully blank as he took her in an didn't let her see his trepidation at her use of his name. Her voice was so heavily in contrast to her appearance it was almost a shock to his system. She looked no older than her mid teens but her voice carried power and knowledge far, far beyond that. 

“Well I don't know what it is you think your retrieving but after I've taken care of the guard and have had a chance to see what exactly the cargo is then we can see about getting you your things.” 

“ Timothy Drake I am sorry but you will not be needed this night.” 

That got his hackles up “ This is my case and you are unwelcome here. I don't care what toy they took from you I'm not just standing by” he all but growled at her.

She cocked her head and smiled sweetly at him. 

“No, Timothy Drake I do not expect you would just leave would you? Why not though, since this is not where you wish to be anymore anyways? You have grown tired of this life Timothy Drake. Walk away and I will help you with that.” 

Whatever his response to that would have been he didn't even get a chance to think on it before the screaming started. He whipped around and saw the guards facing the crate with guns drawn. He could hear some shouting coming from the other side of the docks but the horrible high pitched keening seemed to be coming from the crate itself. 

Without thinking he jumped down and ran towards the two guards who had yet to move. Before he even made it halfway towards them though there was Zorya. Tim spared a quick fleeting thought to the fact that he hadn't heard her move at all but there are was gliding between the two men not even sparing them a glance. The one on the right seemed frozen in fear, his gun aimed at the doors. The one on the left though noticed her and moved to grab her.

“Who the hell do you think you are girl” he snarled at her.

Zorya stopped and turned to him,the look on her face sent chills down Tims spine. By the look on man's face he was far from unaffected as well.

“I am who your employers believed they could steal from and keep their lives” she said tonelessly. 

As she spoke the keening stopped so abruptly the silence that followed was almost deafening.

“ That thing's yours! Look I didn't sign up for this kinda shit just take -” his words were cut off when a gunshot rang out an he crumpled to the ground. 

Breaking out on his shock Tim turned around and mentally cursed himself for forgetting about the it others he had expected for the exchange. 

“ Sorry but see he can't make that sort of call now.” Came a voice from inside a black car. “ Get rid of them boys. And bring me my purchase” 

With that the 4 men in front of the car launched themselves at Red Robin and the other two standing to the side went after Zorya. Red Robin focused his efforts on incapacitating them and missed the guard who had stood unmoving before step up and open the crate. 

By the time he saw him he was reaching in he roughly grabbing what looked like a young boy. Tim was shocked. This was supposed to be an artifact. Not human trafficking.all his research and Intel was about an artifact stolen for research. From the corner of his eye he saw Zorya notice the boy being dragged towards the car. He watched her pull a dagger out of thin air and slice through the throat of the man she had been struggling with. Watching her advance on another man he intercepted her.

“ We don't kill here! Go get the boy I can take care of this!” 

She looked him in the eye and hesitated long enough for the boy to be thrown in the car. Scowling in a way that looked completely out of place on her face she turned and ran after the car that was quickly disappearing through the dockyard. Tim took only long enough to zip tie the 5 remaining men and call in to the GCPD before he was on his bike and racing after them as well.

Making his way through he was a little wary of the fact that he hadn't found Zorya. He assumed she must have had some sort of transportation and kept going in the direction he had seen the car go. He kept going, surprised they had made it as far as the bridge leading in to Gotham. There he spied the car stopped in the center. Tim kicked up the accelerator only to hear the screaming again, this time, not tempered by the metal crate, it was mind numbingly loud. Tim wanted to stop and cover his ears but what he saw when he pulled behind the car had all other thoughts flying out of his head.

Zorya stood all 5 foot nothing of her holding up the man who had to be the driver in one hand and the front driver door in the other. It looked like she has ripped the whole door off of the car. Her eyes glowed an unnatural green and her hand around his neck was bone white. He watched in honor as she squeezed his neck until something audibly cracked an the man went limp. Suddenly the back door swung open and what Tim could only assume was the buyer stumbled out and started running. He hadn't even noticed Red Robin, so was caught completely off guard by the bo staff that quickly connected with his head. He zip tied him as well before looking back at Zorya. He found her with her hand on the boys shoulder, eyes back to their clear blue color from earlier. 

“ What exactly just happened here? And who is the boy? All my sources talked about an artifact for research purposes, not a person.” 

Zorya sighed “ Yes Timothy Drake. They wanted the boy to experiment and understand. The boy is my fault to begin with and I could not let that happen.” 

“ Who is he?” Tim asked. 

“He is what happens when you abuse a Lazarus pit” 

Tim sucked in a breath at that. “ So Ra`s is involved?” That would make things complicated

“No. He does not have possession of the only pit. I am the guardian of a Lazarus pit. I had been called away, distracted, when they brought the boy to the pit. When I returned it was too late. They did not understand what was happening to him and were on the verge of killing him when I intervened. The boy has stayed with me since. He is my mistake and my responsibility. The men who stole him from me meant to study him to understand the properties in the Lazarus pit. I have already destroyed their samples from the pit but the boy was kept separate.”

She had been looking at the boy at the end of her speech and he was starting back at her. The green in his eyes was slowly fading and his breathing was getting back under control. Zorya turned to face Tim once more. 

“ Thank you for your help Timothy Drake. I will take care of him.” She said nodding towards the man at Tim's feet. 

“ I don't think that's a good idea. I can just take him to the authorities. You don't need to worry about him.” Tim said reaching down to grab him. 

“ No, Timothy Drake, I'm sorry but he knows the location of the pit. I cannot allow him to live. I cannot allow you to interfere.” 

Tim extended his staff and crouched into a fighting position.” I'm sorry, I do understand that, but I still can't let you kill him.” Before he even finished his sentence Zorya was moving.

She crashed into him with a force he wasn't expecting. Her hand caught the staff as he tried to swing it back at her and he was surprised at the strength of her grip despite just seeing her break the drivers neck with one hand. He tried to pull it out of her grip but it was no use. Letting it go he jumped back to get enough room to kick at her legs but she sidestepped him easily. They moved around each other for a few moments before he landed a kick to her stomach that did finally and and force her to her knees.

As soon as she went down the boy behind them been to scream again. This time they were so close to him Tim couldn't help but cover his ears. The sound was completely inhuman except for the fact that it was so obviously coming from a person. The high pitched screech was painful, and constant, like he didn't have to draw breath. Tim's hands were over his ears and he was doubled over when Zorya grabbed him by the neck. He could barely make out her words past the noise. 

“Oh Timothy Drake, I will forgive you this time and give you the help I had promised to you. My advice though. Do not fret so on these things, for even they truly are not your concern.” 

With that he felt her lift him off his feet. He tried kicking out at her but the grip on his neck was cutting off his air and he could only scramble at her hands. He watched in horror as she brought him over to the railing of the bridge and lifted him higher than he thought she was capable of. His cousin was going spotty but the last thing he made out was Zorya's mouth moving as she spoke. She tossed him over the bridge. 

Before Tim could catch his breath enough to scream everything went blindingly white and then nothing. 

Tim woke up to an unfamiliar room that was far too bright to be any of his safe houses. The bed was comfortable but the sheets were a light being color no one he knew would use. Blood would show on these sheets. He sat up and looked around. There were clothes everywhere on the dresser next to him but the one across the bed was carefully blank. He saw pictures of children all over the top of it but didn't recognize any of them. Not that he spent much time with any children so that wasn't too surprising. 

Getting out of bed, Tim heard feet coming up some stairs behind the closed bedroom door. He quietly stepped behind it to get the drop on whoever brought him here. Yeah, it was probably a rude thing to do, considering whoever it was probably saved him from the river. But he wasn't taking his chances.

The door knob rattled and Tim tensed. That is until the door open and a small voice said  
“ Daddy?” 

What? 

He looked down and saw a little girl with pitch black hair and aquamarine blue-green eyes. 

“Daddy you gotta do my hair. Papa’s waiting for me ” she said pouting at him. 

Wait what? 

“ Timmy! Hurry up and do Mia’s hair! She won't let me touch it and we gotta go! Tim I swear you better be awake!” 

Jason walked into the room behind the little girl and looked at him. 

“Papa! Daddy is staring.” 

Wait. . . . . what. . . . .


	2. Chapter 2

“ What the shit Tim seriously! I need to get out of here! Timmy? Tim?” Jason waved his hand in front of Tim's face a few times looking at him like he thought he was crazy. And maybe he was. Jason was standing in front of him. The Jason he hadn't seen in almost 10 years. The Jason he just spoke to today for the first time in almost 10 years. Or was that yesterday? There was sunlight coming through the window so it must have been yesterday. But what was he doing here? And who was Daddy in this mess because Jason was obviously papa. 

Closing his eyes and counting to ten, he tried to get his bearings on his surroundings. Two story house probably, there was a tree outside the window. Second floor. Master bedroom most likely since there was a en suite attached. Lived in. Clothes all over one side of the room and- was that a baton? Ok. Ok clothes and a baton piled on one dresser and across the room the other dresser with the photos he saw when he first woke up.

Now though, he was able to recognize the little girl in several of the photos. Even noticed Jason himself in a few. There was a boy who looked more Hispanic with a darker skin tone, chocolate brown hair, and darker eyes. The other, older girl looked in her early teens maybe. Dark copper colored hair, with freckles on her cheeks under pale blue eyes. She seemed vaguely familiar but before he could even begin to wonder the next picture answered the question without even trying. It was Tim, Jason, Lian, and probably the Hispanic kid even though he was just a baby. They were in tux’s and Lian is wearing a little blue dress. The boy in a jumper the same blue as Lian’s dress.

Oh God. 

Oh sweet Mary mother of God. 

“Daddy?” 

Snapping his attention back to Jason and the little girl (Mia?) Tim tried to school his features into something that didn't look as completely freaked out as he felt. Either he was dreaming, or he was in one of the other world's which, ok neither was a good thing, but one was definitely better than the other. He just needed to play along long enough to figure out which one it is. 

Hair. He was tasked with the hair doing thing right? Right. Nope that wasn't gonna happen. Looking at the girl's (Mia? He should figure that out soon) hair it's not terrible. Probably get away with a little brushing and send them on their way. Jason didn't sound like he expected Tim to be going with them wherever they were going so there would hopefully be time to figure everything out. He steeled himself and looked up at Jason.

“I'll get her done and send her down to you in two minutes” 

“Uh huh. . . Alright, whatever just hurry up. We can't be late for school. Lian isn't really digging the whole riding to school with Dad thing while Dad has to stick around for work and since she refused to go in early with me I'm later than ever. Not sure why we thought me taking all the kids with me would be a good idea. Maybe we'll revise that this weekend. Good thing first day of school is a Thursday this year.” With that Jason turned around and still grumbling. Tim thought he heard something about being the cool dad but a tug on his hand took his attention.

“Daddy can we do the Queen Elsa braid please?” The little girl asked. Honestly he had to figure out her name but really how was he supposed to ask someone who was calling him Daddy their name? 

“Uhhh sorry. . . . .sweetie” he hesitated “ but your uhh Papa is waiting and we don't want you to be late right?” He her into the bathroom and looked around. The bedroom hadn't been overly large so he hasn't been expecting much but was pleasantly surprised to find a moderately sized bathroom with double sinks and a bathtub next to a walk in shower. He went to the sinks and grabbed a comb then turned to find blue green eyes looking at him strangely. 

“Umm everything ok?” 

“Why do you have Tommy’s comb?” 

Tommy must be the boy in the photo's. Thinking over his options there really was only one choice. He would have to play along until he could figure out how to get home anyways and to do that he needed to make sure no one suspected anything. If he knew anything it was that Jason was fiercely protective of children and anyone he cared about deeply. If these children were his, and he didn't have to be a detective to figure out that they were, then any wrong move could end badly. He had no idea if this Jason had been the red hood. Without further investigation there was no way of knowing just how different this universe was from his own. He would have to play this very carefully. 

Laying down the comb he picked up the next brush and held it out for inspection. 

“Is this one the baby's brush?” He said. Tricking the girl was a little beneath him but full out asking for her name was not going to be winning him any points either. Sure enough her face went from slight confusion to full on scowl in a heartbeat. 

“I'm not a baby” she stated, puffing out her chest and crossing her arms indignantly. Really the only way it could have gotten more cliched was if she stamped her foot too. 

“ Not a baby ok, then what should I call this one?” Tim hummed thoughtfully. He wasn't oblivious when it came to children but he was in no way an expert so he wasn't even sure his little ruse was going to get him the results he was looking for. 

She rolled her eyes (and that shouldn't have been as cute as it was) and reached out for the brush. “This is Mia's brush Daddy. Your silly today.” Her gaze brushed over his face before making eye contact. When she did though it went from fond amusement to confusion. She opened her mouth to say more but a voice from beyond tell bathroom interrupted her.

“Mia! I'm not waiting anymore! Tim either send her down or take her yourself I gotta go.” 

Tim and Mia starred a fraction of a second longer before Mia pointed to a bottle and directed him to spray her hair down with a detangler. Tim pulled the brush quickly through her hair apologizing when it caught on a snag. She had long thick hair that reminded him of Jason's feeling the silky strands slide through his fingers. Once it was brushed out though it was perfectly smooth instead of wavy like Jason's was. Mia reached under the sink and grabbed something. See must have seen the confusion in Tim's face because she quietly explained what it was to him. 

“It's a hairband. I usually only wear them when Papa does my hair cuz he's not very good at it.” The smile she shot him was small and uncertain and made Tim a little uncomfortable for reasons he wasn't going to be able to make out right away. A slamming door and footsteps running down some stairs got his attention. 

“Will Jason actually leave without you?” He asked her but she was already running towards the door. He followed her down the stairs and out the front door where he saw Jason in a small dark blue sedan. At least it's not a minivan,he thought ruefully. As Mia jumped into the back seat he saw a boy and assumed it was Tommy. He was reaching over to help buckle her into a car seat and waved out the door to Tim. 

“ Bye Daddy I love you! Don't forget band practice today so you gotta get me at 5!” 

A little flustered at having yet another person call him Daddy,Tim managed a weak smile in return. “Uh sure thing. 5 o'clock”. Glancing over to the front seats he noticed Jason was giving him a pointed look and slightly gesturing at Lian. He had no idea what he was supposed to be doing and just shrugged his shoulders at him. 

The entire scene since waking up was finally beginning to catch up to him and he was starting to feel a little out of his depths. The details for everything were a little too real for him to even imagine it was a dream and seeing Lian made it feel even less likely. She looked exactly the same and completely different at the same time. He had never spent much time with her but he knew Roy and she didn't look as much like him as she did when she was younger save for her rusty red hair. If this was a dream he imagined that his subconscious would make her look more like what she looked like as a little girl or maybe even like a little Roy clone. 

Jason pulled out of the driveway with a huff and took off down the road leaving Tim alone in the front yard. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding and went back inside closing the door behind him. Slumping against it he hung his head and for the first time saw what he was wearing. It was a large t shirt and pair of heart themed boxers. No one had even batted an eyelash at him being outside. 

His clothes weren't the only thing that caught his attention. He had always been thin,even for his size, especially due to his workout routine and nightly activity. He could build muscle but it was much harder and he never did manage to bulk up. The body he had now was not thin. He wasn't fat per se. He could definitely detect plenty of muscle only now there was definitely a solid thirty lbs on top of it. He looked healthy but would probably benefit from losing at least ten of those. Especially the ones around his midsection. There was a lot more pudge than he had ever had and he had a hard time believing he would ever let himself go but the proof was in the pudding that Tim was probably enjoying often from the looks of it. 

Sighing Tim looked around the front entryway. From there he could see a living room and what was probably a family room past that. The far wall showed a sliding glass door with a backyard beyond that. The stairs he had hurried down were to his right. He could make out the bedroom he had woken up in and a couple of other rooms as he walked past and into the family room. It was messy in a lived in kind of way, but certainly wasn't dirty. Jason didn't like his living spaces being dirty. There were more pictures Tim was not going to look at and a large kitchen to the right of the family room. Another set of stairs connected to the flight off the front hall leading back upstairs. And another bedroom and bathroom at the very back end of the home. All in all it was a nice house. 

Tim went back upstairs to get dressed into some regular clothes and shower. He didn't know what his regular routine was but showering and clothes was always a good bet. Plus if he was going to to contact Batman then he needed to have his head on straight and he always thought beat in the shower. 

as thought of how to go about contacting the cave crossed his mind,a shadow moved at the edge of his vision. He made sure not to tense as he grabbed for something to use as a weapon when he turned around.

“I know you've seen me Timothy Drake.” 

Tim scoffed at Zorya “ actually thanks to whatever the fuck you did to me I'm pretty sure it's Timothy Todd thanks” 

Zorya was standing on the opposite side of the room looking at the picture frames from earlier. Her gaze lingered on the ones of with the children and she reached for the one Tim had taken to referring to as “the wedding photo”. 

“Well in that case it's Timothy Jackson actually. I feel you are unappreciative of my gift to you. Is this not the life you wanted? It was so heavily on your mind it was all but screaming to be let out” she stated curiously. 

Tim stiffened at that. Yes it had been on his mind. What his life could have been like had he gone with Jason like he had thought he was going to. Like he had “planned” when he was young naive and so in love with Jason Todd nee Jackson he could barely sleep the first few weeks after he had left. But really after all this time it was only because of the phone call earlier that day. If he hadn't just heard from him, it would have been the farthest thing from his mind. Ugh leave it to the red hood to screw him over on the job without even realizing it.

Sighing he looked into the girls eyes and steeled himself. “take me home” he demanded “ I don't belong here nor do I need to be here. My responsibility in Gotham far outweighs anything here. I may have had this life on my mind but the Timothy who wanted something comparable to this life is gone and I don't want it. Your powerful,I get that. Take me home and I will not hurt you for what you did to those men. No one other than me knew about the exchange that night. I can make sure the Bat doesn't look any further into anything there,any further into you. Whoever the boy is you can keep him.” 

Ice blue eyes hardened at the mention of the boy. Lifting her chin Zorya looked down at Tim, making him feel about a foot tall. Apparently the boy was a sensitive topic and Tim had definitely just stepped in it. 

“ His life means so little to you? You could end his suffering. That *boy* deserves more than life next to a pit of despair. A pit of madness you are more than familiar with. Yet you don't even blink at leaving him to such fate. Why Timothy Jackson? Because I have shown care for him?” 

Tim swallowed back the small *well yeah* he wanted to say. Not that it mattered because Zorya was very much not done making him feel smaller and smaller.

“I have lived for centuries,in and out of this world! I will live for centuries more past the death of him and you! I see all worlds and futures! Don't let this body fool you I AM POWER! You think your assurance of peace from an overwhelmed Bat can pacify me! You who have so little regard for those outside your world of caped crusaders that you would use a child as a bargaining chip? No no no Timothy Jackson, see this world I saw for you as a reward will now be your punishment. Learn here, learn well, that a life well lived is better than a life long lived. A life with love,even if that love comes late is worth more than a life without. Believe me.” 

Tim swallowed dryly. Then swallowed again. At this point he felt pretty much screwed but he had to ask a question even if he was pretty sure that she was going to kill him.

“Why keep the boy then? Don't you have care for him?” 

A small smile touched her lips “ learn well Timothy Jackson” 

A ringing phone drew his attention for just long enough to miss Zorya disappearing in front of him. He sighed and moved to answer it. 

“Ah sheriff! Everything ok? You've never been this late before without calling ahead. Deputy Oswald wanted to come see if everything was ok but I thought I should call first. So! Is everything ok? Sheriff Jackson?” 

Tim couldn't tear his eyes away from the baton on his dresser. That explained that he supposed. Taking a deep breath at the realization that he had fucked up with Zorya and was now definitely stuck in this universe. He never wished for a concussion or a coma more


End file.
